


Ready, fence!

by planet_plantagenet



Category: Hamlet - Shakespeare, Henry V - Shakespeare
Genre: Crushes, Fencing, M/M, Requited Love
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-10-07
Updated: 2016-10-07
Packaged: 2018-08-20 00:25:51
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 982
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8229910
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/planet_plantagenet/pseuds/planet_plantagenet
Summary: This fic came out of my imagination thinking, "what would happen if my two favorite Shakespeare characters (Fluellen and Laertes) met each other?" I also decided to put my fencing knowledge to good use, hahah.





	

I found Fluellen in the gym, sitting on the floor with one leg outstretched and a grin on his face. My heart seemed to leap at the sight of him, and I smiled in spite of myself. He caught my eye, beckoning me over.

“You always seem to follow me around, don’t ya?” was the first thing Fluellen said when I was standing before him. He reached his arm sideways to grasp for his toe, a position that no doubt required some flexibility. I shrugged, trying to appear nonchalant. According to Fluellen’s face, though, I wasn’t doing a very good job—he knew just how excited I was that he’d noticed.

I was about to say something—perhaps move the conversation to something a little less awkward—when a man walked in, carrying a large canvas bag slung over his shoulder. He looked about our age, with loose-fitting clothes, sneakers, and neatly-cropped blue hair. He stopped, noticing Fluellen on the ground, and lifted an eyebrow.

“Stretching?” he asked.

“Indeed I am,” Fluellen replied, flashing the newcomer one of his characteristically flirty smiles.

The man set down his bag, held out his hand to me. “I’m Laertes. And you…?”

I shook it. “Gower. Nice to meet you.” I gestured vaguely to Fluellen, who was now on his feet, bending forward to touch the ground with his palms. “And this is Flu—”

“ _ Llywelyn _ !” came the loud correction. Fluellen sprang up from his stretch, clasping Laertes’ hand in his own. “And, look you, that is a tricky enough name for Gower to pronounce, so—”

I cut him off. “What’re you doing at the gym, Laertes?”

He held up his bag, as if that were some sort of indication. “Actually, I was wondering… do either of you fence?”

“Fence?” I laughed. I was not exactly the active type, not like Fluellen. “No, though fencing is a fascinating sport.”

He turned to Fluellen. “And you?”

Fluellen grinned again, full cockiness. “Of course I fence!”

“Ah!” Laertes bent down, unzipped his bag, beginning to carefully unpack the contents. I recognized it as fencing gear. Funny, though—Fluellen had never once mentioned an interest in fencing. “Care to play a bout?”

Laertes’ query was met with a blank stare from Fluellen, to which he hastily added, “Want to fence with me?”

Fluellen’s smile faltered for a second. Then he looked at me, grinned twice as wide. “Yes! And, look you”—another glance at me—“I’ll win!”

“Well!” Laertes tossed him what appeared to be a fencing suit. “Let’s see about that! Saber or foil?”

“Whatever you like.” Fluellen took the suit, inspecting it, but didn’t put it on—instead keeping his eyes on Laertes.

“Foil it is, then!” replied Laertes, cheerily stepping into his own suit. Fluellen copied him, periodically shooting me flirtatious grins. I smiled back, trying to pretend that my heart wasn’t beating a lot faster than normal.

When both of them had gotten into all their gear—suits, masks, gloves, the like—Laertes handed Fluellen a foil. Fluellen’s face lit up, and he grasped the weapon’s hilt in both hands as if it were a baseball bat.

Laertes cocked an eyebrow, a gesture visible even behind the mesh of the helmet. “Stage fighting, are we now?”

“No, no!” Fluellen mimicked Laertes’ en garde position, holding the foil in his right hand and throwing his left out behind him. “Fencing is much more serious than stage fighting, hahah. But look you, I have taken many an acting class and can assure you that it is harder than it—”

“Ready?” interrupted Laertes.

“Ready!”

I swear I saw Laertes roll his eyes. “ _ Ready??” _

“I said I’m ready!”

“You’re supposed to say  _ fence _ .”

“Yes, yes, I knew that. FENCE!!”

Fluellen jumped at Laertes, wildly waving his blade around. Laertes neatly stepped back, avoiding the flailing foil. Fluellen ceased his attack, dropping his guard for a second. Taking the advantage, Laertes leapt forward, striking Fluellen in the chest. Fluellen squealed, stumbling backwards, and almost tripped on the fencing bag.

I was doubled over laughing. Fluellen shot me a glare.

Laertes also looked thoroughly amused. “Sure you wouldn’t rather try saber?”

“You can’t fence,” I managed to get out through fits of giggles.

Fluellen looked hurt. “Well, there is no harm in trying, is there?”

“If I’m not mistaken,” interjected Laertes with a grin, “you claimed you could beat me.”

Fluellen kept broodingly silent, peeling off his glove and mask. I hesitated for a second, then walked over. He handed me his foil, started to unzip his suit—then stopped, looked at me. His piercing, blue eyes met mine.

“I thought you might be impressed,” Fluellen said quietly, and my heart melted.

“Oh Fluellen,” I whispered, “you already impress me enough.”

I put my hand on his shoulder, unsure of what else to do. He looked at it for a second, then smiled, putting his own hand on top of mine and squeezing it gently.

We stood like that for a second, and for once, it wasn’t awkward in the slightest.

Then Laertes spoke, bringing us both back to reality. “Hey, Fluellen… I could teach you how to fence if you like.”

Fluellen whipped around, old excitement coming back in an instant. “Yes, I would very much like to learn fencing!! Excellent!”

“Right!” Laertes rubbed his hands together. “Now, first of all, put that gear back on….”

I handed Fluellen the foil. He grinned, then leaned in and gave me a quick kiss on the cheek. Then he was turning away, zipping up his suit and pulling the mask back over his head.

The rush was exhilarating. I would’ve kissed him back—on the lips, like I’d wanted to for months—but Laertes was watching, and I would never have been able to summon up the courage anyway.

Anything more could happen later. Right now, I was content to watch Fluellen fence.


End file.
